Orange and onion salad is what you’ve been waiting for.
This Turkish orange and onion salad is a great addition to any summer menu. It’s light, refreshing, and a nice deviation from the usual greens. Bonus, no heavy or processed dressings. The simple dressing of olive oil, and herbs doesn’t overshadow the sweetness of the oranges. I love this salad!
The color contrasts are beautiful.
Portakal Salatsi aka Orange Salad is the Turkish name for this dish. Portakal is derived from Portugal. What’s the connection? Well, at one point in time the best oranges came from Portugal. Oranges were famous. So famous that Arabs changed the name from naranj to porteghal. Interestingly enough, the word for orange in Spanish is naranja. This word comes from an old Sanskrit term naga ranga. Similar words are fascinating! By the way… my Puerto Rican friend told me oranges are called chinas in Puerto Rico.
Orange’s origins
Oranges likely originated inMalaysia (SE Asia). They made their way to China around 2200 B.C. The emperor often received oranges. People admired oranges for their medicinal properties and the aromatic value of their essential oils.
Eventually, oranges made it to Europe via the Silk Road traders. By the end of the second century A.D. they featured at the lavish banquets of the Roman aristocracy. Christopher Columbus brought oranges to the New World. He planted the first orange tree in the Americas. The first American plantation of oranges was in St. Augustine, Florida. Later, during the gold rush in California, certain unscrupulous doctors made a hefty profit by selling orange juice to scurvy afflicted prospectors. The dose? A spoonful!
Needless to say, this orange salad goes perfect with grilled kebabs or any other grilled meat for that matter. Take it to your next picnic, and your friends will love you for bringing Turkish food. Or, enjoy it as a quick side to a weeknight meal. It’s a great and delicious way to get your vitamin C.
Now, orange you glad I posted this recipe? Sorry, I could not resist!
This recipe was adapted from the book “The Complete Book of Turkish Cooking” by Ghillie Basan
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Orange and Onion Salad Recipe
Turkish or Portakal Salatsi orange and onion salad goes perfect with grilled kebabs or any other grilled meat for that matter. Take it to your next picnic, and your friends will love you. This has a nice contrast of flavors of sweet and savory.
Ingredients
- 3 oranges cut into slices ( sweet naval oranges work nicely)
- 1 red onion sliced thin
- 8 Kalamata olives
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
- Peel the oranges and remove the surrounding pith.
- Slice oranges to a thickness of 1/4" and place on a large serving platter.
- Slice onion thinly. Place in a container and sprinkle with salt. Allow them to sit for about 10 minutes.
- Place onions on top of the sliced oranges. Scatter the olives on top.
- To prepare the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together olive oil,thyme, and oregano
- Drizzle over oranges.
- Serve with a sprinkling of sumac, and mint garnish.
Derek
This looks fantastic! Thanks for the recipe!
Analida
You are welcome Derek!
Joann Woolley
This combination looks beautiful and it sounds good too. I am pinning to my salad board!
Analida
Thanks Joann!!
Faye Wilkerson
I have never added olives to my orange salad, but I think it will be a great addition.
Analida
Thanks, I think so. It also looks pretty!!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life
What a lovely salad! The combination sounds wonderful…definitely something I would like!
Analida
Thanks Michelle. Try it out. It is so refreshing.
Hirra Pervaiz
What a delightful salad, This is great for summers.
Analida
Indeed it is Hirra. It is so refreshing!
Sarah
Wow! Gorgeous photography and a mouth-watering recipe. Thanks for linking up to Blogger Brags. I’ve pinned your post to the Blogger Brags Pinterest board.
Analida
Thanks Sarah. It is a great recipe. Thanks for pinning!!
Shirley Wood
What a wonderful combination of flavors for a nice summer dish! I’m going to feature this recipe at the new Merry Monday party starting Sunday night. So glad you shared with us at Merry Monday!
Analida
Thanks so much Shirley!!! I so appreciate it.
Megan @ C'mon Get Crafty
Ok, well, the title didn’t’ sell me, but the pictures sure did! Wow, that looks amazing! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday, and can’t wait to see what you link up this week!
Analida
You’re welcome Megan. Do you have any suggestions for a better title?
🙂
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom
I love the sweet and salty combo here! Fabulous flavor achieved!
Analida
Thanks Kristen!
Denise Wright
This combination of the oranges and olives and onions intrigues me. I love that you always have a history lesson in your posts!
Analida
Thanks Denise. I love history! It’s so much fun to do research on food items and food traditions. I am glad you like the history bit.
Analida
KC, sumac has a really tangy flavor. It’s what used by the Romans before the Arabs brought citrus to Europe. You can get sumac at http://www.penzeys.com I like to sprinkle a little sumac on my hummus. I also recently had dinner at an Arab restaurant and my tilapia came with a little sumac sprinkled on top.
Caroline
Simple and tasty – always good! I’ve made something similar and it was delicious.
Analida
Thanks Caroline. Yes, it is so easy.
Jade @ Jonesin' For Taste
I love how simple this is but out of the ordinary as well!
Analida
Thanks Jade! Yes, it is a bit unusual.
Gloria
I always love when simple ingredients come together to create something so delicious. This is perfect for hot weather eating. Sounds refreshing and so easy.
Analida
Gloria, this is indeed a unique dish. It is really refreshing. I think you will like it. It’s a perfect accompaniment to anything from the grill. Thank you so much for the 5 star rating.
Amanda Mason
This looks so good and so unique! I love it! I love that this is low in carbs, too! Love the origination story….all that history is so interesting! Thanks for posing such a unique and yummy recipe!
Kate
Oh my, what a beautiful little salad! So perfect for a summer starter salad. I can’t wait to try this. The sweet orange and the salty olives sound so good together!
Analida
Kate, this salad is perfect for any summer picnic. The contrast of flavors is amazing. I hope you get to try it soon.
dixya @food, pleasure, and health
i have never heard of this salad but absolutely digging the use of herbs!
Analida
Thanks Dixya. It is really tasty.
Andrea
This is such a perfect salad for this time of the year, the ingredients combo sounds just about amazing!
Analida
Thanks Andrea. I think you will like it. Yes, the mixture of ingredients is fabulous.
Madi
This is such a gorgeous salad! I love the combination of flavors!
Analida
Hi Madi, thanks for the compliment, and for the 5 star rating. I think you would like it. Yes, the combo of colors is lovely as well as the taste. 🙂
Leslie
So simple! I was looking for a side dish for some grilled steaks tonight, and I think this is the winner!
Analida
Hi Leslie! Glad you found a side dish for your steaks. I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
Michelle
What a lovely fresh salad, I’ve tried olives with oranges before so will definitely have to try this!
Analida
Hi Michelle! Thanks for the 5 star rating. I hope you like this salad.The flavors are so fresh, and I love the colors. I am all about pretty food. 🙂
Anne Murphy
That sounds delightful! Wonderful contrast in flavors, and so refreshing on a hot day!
Analida
Thanks for the 5 star rating Anne. Indeed, the contrast of flavors is amazing, as is the contrast of colors. A feast for the eyes, and palate in my opinion. 🙂
Kim @ Berly's Kitchen
I love how simple this salad sounds! It’s so pretty, too. Some of the least amount of ingredients yield the biggest flavors. This is going on my “to try” list. 🙂
Analida
Kim you are absolutely right, the least amount of ingredients can yield amazing flavors. Thank you for the 5 star rating. I hope you get to try it soon. 🙂
Amy Treasure
This recipe has so many of my favourite ingredients but I would never have thought of putting them together in one dish. Genius! i will try it 🙂
Analida
Hi Amy. I hope you get to try this salad. It is so unique, and refreshing. Let me know how you like it . Thank you so much for the 5 star rating.
Femi. O
Ooo this flavor combo looks amazing and it especially because this salad combines some of my favorite things (oranges and onion) in the kitchen, I can already imagine how good it tastes. This one actually had me drooling. I totally intend to try this!
Analida
Hi Femi. Thanks for you comment. I think if you like oranges, and onions, you will love this salad. It is so refreshing. It is one of my favorite side dishes, especially during the warm weather months. By the way, thank you for the 5 star rating.
Matt Kearns
I love how simple this salad is! I love oranges and this dish is calling my name!
Analida
Hi Matt. thanks so much for the 5 star rating. I hope you get to try this dish, especially now that the warm weather is upon us, finally.
Stosh Dlugolenski
Wow!! The olives and oranges create a most delicious flavor, came upon this yesterday and made it. Fantastic